25 Surprising Ways Stress Affects Your Health

What is stress?

By Kate Fodor

Whether it's a short-term frustration like a traffic jam or a major life event like divorce or job loss, psychological stress can affect our bodies.

Stress can be highly personal, with one person's unpleasant experience another's exhilarating adventure. And a little bit of stress is thought to be good for memory and motivation. However, about 70% of doctor visits and 80% of serious illnesses may be exacerbated or linked to stress.

Here are 25 ways that stress can affect the body. The good news is that there is much you can doexercise, meditation, and moreto reduce the impact of stress in your life.